2014-15 Conference Champs

Wildcat Provides Service to Village

On the left of this photo is one of the stoves that Kaitlyn helped build for the villagers.

BALDWIN CITY, Kan. – Giving back to others. This is one of the most important things Kaitlyn Stout, freshman dance team member, values in her spare time.

The Olathe, Kan., native who attends the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kan., went on a mission trip to Honduras last summer. Every summer, the church provides members the opportunity to travel to different areas of the world to help impoverished communities.

Over the course of eight days in July, Stout and 15 other students did service work at a small village called El Abraha, and a vacation bible school.

"Our main purpose for the whole trip was building stoves in the village," Stout said. "We used concrete bricks and cement blocks to build foundations on a clay cooking surface. After that we poured ash into the foundation and made a firebox with wood in it. They import all of the materials needed from the United States."

Stout was also able to see how the communities interacted in the village. One thing that grabbed her attention the most was how everyone in the village acts as a tight-knit community.

"The whole community is very different than ones you see here," Stout said. "In one of the houses there was a mother who provided another child with her family's own food and toys to play with. The community atmosphere is a lot more personable whereas here everyone usually keeps to themselves."

Stout also made a trip to a market called the Valley of the Angels, where people could sell handmade jewelry and artwork. The group also toured the famous Christ statue, which looks down on Tegucigalpa, the capital city of Honduras.

In the future, Stout would like to continue her international mission trips. She would also like to find ways to get the entire Wildcat dance team involved with contributing to the mission trips.

"Since it's hard to donate money, we could have a clothing or arts and crafts drive," Stout said. "The children hardly ever wear shoes and are always playing with rocks and mud. If we could find some ways to get money and buy things at a Wal-Mart, I think it would be beneficial to the communities in these other countries."

Stout and the rest of her Wildcat teammates are now preparing for their performances at the Baker home football and basketball games this season. Baker fans, make sure to come out this season and support your two-time NAIA-NDA Small Dance National Champions.